A month and a half later I realized the Anubias was not doing so well planted in the substrate but everything else was showing promise (sorry about my terrible photography skills - yes the date stamp on the camera is wrong too)

I noticed my DIY CO2 diffuser was not living up to my expectations as the wooden airstone was letting out one single larger stream of CO2 bubbles. I also added water sprite this day. I didn't know what I was in for with this move. Yes those are cat prints on the glass. He likes the heat from the lights.

The anubias needs to be tied to something like that driftwood. Anubias and java ferns shouldn't be placed under the substrate.
The wooden CO2 diffuser probably got a layer of biofilm over it, clogging the pores in the wood. Just throw on an airstone piece and it should work fine.

Thanks for the reply. I upgraded to a glass and ceramic diffuser in Dec 2012. It made a world of difference. I've been very tempted add pressurized CO2 as I have access to it cheap being in construction, but I'm leery about having a poisonous gas in the house with my family. The Anubias I attached to the large driftwood the day I added my broad-leaf Ludwigia. World of difference! The roots have attached and are growing out of the bottom of the driftwood.

CO2 isn't poisonous, it is inert. It is only if the room is closed and all the gas escapes that it is dangerous at all. One danger is if the needle valve is bumped too much gas could kill your livestock and that can happen with curious kids around. My needle valve locks down so that cannot happen.

sorry Kathyy you're right, not poisonous but harmful if enough can replace the oxygen (inert) in my kids lungs if there's an above average exposure to it. Are you using pressurized CO2. I checked out your 180. That's very nice.

Then an unexpected need to travel and a last minute WC before I left....chaos ensued. I lost three dwarf neon rainbows and my male and female threadfin rainbow due to something in my treated tap water. Never like using it and should have never used it. A lesson I keep learning over and over and over.
Well I haven't made any changes now for a bit. Just maintaining and trimming my fantastically growing water sprite and the red Ludwigia. My "lutea" and red Wendtii is out of control, my HC is growing slowly but spreading, my Java Fern looks "hot" and my Anubias have settled in and sprouts a few leaves of appreciation now and again. It's out of control madness, but goodness.

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